


The Mantle I Carry

by skinnedinkandbloodywords



Category: Dragon Age
Genre: Other
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-12-01
Updated: 2016-12-01
Packaged: 2018-09-03 11:55:34
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Major Character Death, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 528
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8712844
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/skinnedinkandbloodywords/pseuds/skinnedinkandbloodywords
Summary: The Blight was over, the Mother, defeated. Alistair Theirin and The Warden took leave of the Wardens for a short time to mend themselves, leaving commanding the Wardens to a council of allies from battles past to handle the affairs. It was only after the pair returned to Vigil's Keep that they learned the Warden was with child. They decided to do their best at being Wardens and parents and together they chose to relinquish some of their power permanently to the council.Astoria Theirin was born to the Warden and Alistair months later and as she grew, showed great interest in the life of a Warden. She was raised between Amaranthine and Ferelden, finding her home in Vigil's Keep. Years after she was born, a darkspawn ambush unlike any the two experienced wardens had ever seen, robbed 16 year old Astoria of her parents. Finding herself orphaned, she craved justice. Even if it costs her life.





	

**Author's Note:**

> so i am unsure what i'm doing with this. it was more of a hc that i had in my head but i couldn't stop writing about it. it might stay a blurb or i might extend it into a series. not sure yet. hope you like it

“You’re becoming what killed your parents.”  
Astoria stilled, hands pausing from throwing supplies in her pack, Tamsin’s words slapping her across the face. For a brief moment she was glad her back was to her friend for it gave her a moment to collect herself. Astoria knew Tamsin was lashing out because she couldnt stop her from leaving, but she should never have even felt bad because nothing was going to stop her. Slowly, she straightened and turned to face the fight she knew had been coming ever since she mentioned leaving and going to assist the Wardens. 

“I assume you have something else to say on the matter of my departure?” Astoria kept her voice smooth as she held Tamsin’s gaze. Her friend’s goldflecked eyes had never been more full of rage. She knew however this fight ended, the bridge between them would never be reconciled. The gap between them was less of a crack and more of a chasm that had been growing in the past months since the first Darkspawn attack in nearly a year. It had wiped out almost the entirety of Vigil’s Keep. If it hadn’t been for Astoria slaying the armored ogre, the keep would’ve been overrun. 

“Of course I have something to say about this! You’re throwing your life away for something that isn’t even a problem anymore. We are safe! Ever since the Commander slayed the Mother the Darkspawn have retreated into the deep roads. They aren’t coming back, why don’t you understand that?” Tamsin’s pale skin flushed a deep red, hands clenched into fists. Against her better judgement, Astoria began to laugh.

“We’re safe? Andraste’s nickers you sound like the Chantry. What will you do next? Condemn mages as demons? Oh I had forgotten, you already did that when you held a knife to Anders throat a few months ago after he saved your life. I sought to overlook that because it’s Anders and Mother always told me he was a handful, but you crossed the line when you called the Chantry on Wynne.” 

Tamsin sputtered, struggling to get words out of her mouth, “I swear she was doing blood magic. She could’ve turned into an abomination! She could’ve killed us all!” 

Astoria’s expression turned cold and for a moment Tamsin’s face of rage melted into that of fear. The Grey Warden pendant that hung from her neck, a birthday gift from her father, burned against her skin, dual griffons seemed to glare into Tamsin’s soul and the ruby mounted between their heads glittered in the firelight. “This is why it was so hard to defeat the darkspawn to begin with. I thought you were more open minded than this, Tamsin. I thought you understood. I was never going to be anything else. Even if my parents hadn’t died.”  
“You’re hellbent on killing yourself the same way the Commander and Alistair did, aren’t you?” Tamsin’s shoulders sagged, her eyes full of longing and pain, “Astoria, this isn’t who you are.”

Astoria straightened, and in that moment, Tamsin saw the same steel in the Commander of the Grey had in Astoria’s eyes, “You’re wrong. This is who I’ve always been.”


End file.
